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Harper looks at the door when he sees Harry dragging Ron inside the classroom. He nodded his head to Ron, who returned it with a half-smile.

"Harry m'boy! I was beginning to worry! And I see we've brought someone with us..." Professor Slughorn said, looking at Ron.

"Ron Weasley, sir. But I'm dead awful at Potions, a menace actually, so I probably should just be going!--"

"Nonsense, we'll sort you out." Professor Slughorn said, cutting Ron off from talking and leaving. "Any friend of Harry's is a friend of mine. Right then, books out--"

"Um, sorry, sir, but I haven't got my book yet-- nor's Ron. You see--" Harry tried to say but was cut off by Professor Slughorn.

"Not to worry. You can get what you need from the cupboard." Professor Slughorn said, pointing to the cupboard and resumes talking about the cauldrons bubbling before him. "Now, as I was saying, I've prepared a few concoctions this morning. Any ideas what these might be? Yes, Mr...?"

"Granger, sir." Harper said when Hermione elbowed him to answer the question. "That one there is Veritaserum. And that would be Polyjuice Potion. And that..." He trailed off, distracted by Harry and Ron fighting for the textbooks, turning his head back to Professor Slughorn, who smiles softly at him. "... is Amortentia! The most powerful love potion in the world."

Ron sat beside Harper, grinning teasingly at Harry who rolls his eyes half-heartedly at the Weasley.

"It's rumored to smell differently to each person, according to what attracts them. For example, I smell freshly mown grass and new parchment and spearmint toothpaste--" Harper stops himself from talking when he catches what he was saying, glancing at Hermione who smirk knowingly at him making him blush.

Professor Slughorn regards the twins. "One of my best friends is Muggle-born. She's the best in our year..."

Harry, settling into his seat with the soiled textbook, looks up just as Professor Slughorn's eyes shift to him for confirmation. As Harry nods, Hermione glances curiously at him.

"Now Amortentia doesn't create actual love, of course. That's impossible. But it does cause a powerful infatuation or obsession. For that reason, it is probably the most dangerous potion in his room." Professor Slughorn turns, finding sea of dreamy faces leaning into the vapors. Instantly, he clangs a cover onto the cauldron, bringing them round.

As Ron blinks, he finds Lavender still staring dreamily-- at him. He turns away from Lavender to Harper, who is frowning into his textbook, filling him with concern. Has he done something wrong? He hopes not.

Noticing, Hermione's eyes narrow at her making Lavender look away.

"Sir, you haven't told us what's in that one." Katie said.

"Ah yes..." Professor Slughorn said, stepping to a small black cauldron. Begins to ladle a bit of golden liquid into a tiny vial. "What you see before you, ladies and gentlemen, is a curious little potion known as Felix Felicis. But it is more commonly referred to as--"

"Liquid luck." Hermione said as buzz runs through the class. Even Draco perks up.

"Yes, Miss Granger. Desperately tricky to make. Disastrous should you get it wrong. But brewed correctly, as this has been, it has remarkable powers. One sip and you will find that all your endeavors succeed... at least until the effects wear off." Professor Slughorn said.

"But then why don't people drink it all the time?" Katie asked.

"Because taken in excess it causes giddiness, recklessness and dangerous overconfidence." Professor Slughorn said.

Gryffindor boy - Ron Weasley x male ocWhere stories live. Discover now